Last Chances
by chiasme
Summary: AU. During the summer, Peyton got pregnant with Lucas' child but when he and Brooke became a couple, she decided not to tell him and start a new life, outside TH. Now, 4 years later, she is forced to return to him for her daughter's wellbeing.
1. The Keystone

Last Chances

Peyton waits impatiently as she sits by her daughter's bedside, in a very white hospital room. She tries to smile at Ellie reassuring, which is hard since she needs to be reassured herself. She looks so much like him, Peyton thinks as she gazes at her daughter. Even though Ellie's ringlets and nose are definitely hers, the colour of her eyes, the heart-shaped face and the naturally raspberry-pink lips are Lucas'. When Dr. Connor, a chubby bald man, walks in, Peyton breathes in deeply, preparing herself for possible bad news. And by the look on his face, she can tell that's the case. Shit.

"It's negative, isn't it?"

He slowly takes of his glasses and looks at her with a cross of judgement and pity.

"I'm sorry…Ms Sawyer…maybe we can discuss this outside?"

She hesitates.

"Ellie, sweetie…" she briefly strokes her daughter's blonde curls "I will be back in a second."

"OK, mommy…"

She stands up and joins Dr Connors outside Ellie's room.

"Ms Smith isn't a matching kidney donor. I'm sorry."

Gazing at her feet, she suppresses her tears.

"Ms Sawyer…" the doctor continues "…I'm not one to interfere in another's personal life but there's a little girl involved."

She feels Dr Connor's eyes burning a hole.

"I strongly recommend you to inform the father," he firmly states. Peyton looks up in his eyes doubtful. "If we don't find a matching donor, she could die." The doctor raises his voice. "Do you understand me?!?"

"YES!" she bursts out emotionally. "Yes…"

He puts a comforting hand on her shoulder and then walks away with a quick nod.

Peyton takes a deep breath and blinks her tears away. I need to be strong, she thinks. For Ellie.

"Look, mommy" her little girl shouts as she sees Peyton. She points her little finger towards the TV set. "Homer is seeing weird things!"

"Really?" I gently go to sit down next to her 3-year old. "Why?"

"Because he ate too much chilli peppers…" she seriously answers the question.

"Is that so?" Peyton places herself in her little world were everything is fresh and exciting. Ellie enthusiastically nods. Her baby blue eyes attached to the screen, she says:

"I don't like chilli peppers…"

Peyton laughs and strokes her hair. As she sees her mini-me concentrating on the yellow men and laughing at them, she suddenly can't help but cry.

"Oh, baby…" Peyton holds her tightly. "I love you so, so much…."

Ellie turns her head and wipes her tears with her little thumb.

"You don't have to cry, mommy…I love you too…"

Peyton holds her for a while until she falls asleep in her arms. Then she slowly removes herself from Ellie and walks up to the nearest telephone.

"Charlotte speaking." A friendly voice greets her.

"Hi, Char…I need a favour..."

"You can ask me anything."

Peyton briefly smiles. Charlotte is the sweetest, most giving person you'll ever meet and Peyton's best friend ever since she moved to Boston.

"I need you to watch Ellie for a while…"

"Off course. Peyton…If you don't mind me asking…Why?"

"The test was negative. I need to go to Tree Hill."

A silence.

"Charlotte, are you still there?" Peyton breaks the silence.

"It's the right thing to do." She simply states. "It's your little girl."

"I know…" Peyton heaves a sigh.

"Don't worry…you're strong, you can do it…"

"Thanks…for everything…"

"No problem, you know I'd do anything for that girl. Peyton…I gotta run now…I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, see you then…"

"Bye."

She hangs up and walks back to Ellie. After about two hours of sleep, Ellie opens her baby blue eyes. Peyton bows over and tucks some ringlets behind her ears.

"Hi…did you sleep well?" She asks loving.

The little girl nods.

"I had a dream."

"You did? What about?"

"About a big bear…and he was trying to scratch me…"

"I would never let that happen, sweetie…"

She then says softly:

"Listen, baby...Mommy has to go somewhere…"

"Why?" She asks pouting.

"I'm going away for you…to make you better."

Peyton stares into her eyes and tries to convince her.

"For long?" The girl makes puppy eyes at Peyton.

"No, not for long." Peyton briefly shakes her head. "And while I'm away, Aunt Charlotte is going to take care of you…that's fun, huh?"

"Yeah…" she answers a bit sad. "But I'll miss you, mommy…"

Peyton embrace her and rocks her daughter softly back and forward.

"I'll miss you too, baby…but I'll call every day."

"Pinky swear?" Ellie looks up at her.

They intertwine pinkies and Peyton confirms, breaking inside:

"Pinky swear."

She places her head gently above Ellie's. It'll be hard facing her demons of the past but knowing going back to Tree Hill might save her daughter's life, makes it a whole lot easier.


	2. Home Sweet Home?

Peyton walks out of the airport, a scarlet suitcase clutched in her hands. Fortunately, she doesn't have to wait long before a yellow taxi stops in front of her. She throws her suitcase in the trunk and steps in, slamming the door.

"Where to?"

The cab driver turned his head, his arm leaning on the seat.

"Tree Hill." Peyton answers.

As the miles roll, she stares out the window. Watching the landscape turn greener by the second, she senses feelings of fear and nostalgic overwhelm her. She realizes she's not only returning to Tree Hill, but to her past. She suppresses the urge to bite her nails.

"You can stop here." She answers after a while.

She pays the driver and walks into one of the little amount of hotels Tree Hill has. Peyton looks around and notices the beige walls could use another coat of paint. She gets herself a room and unpacks.

After that, Peyton goes to sleep, thinking. Outside of Lucas, she'll probably have to ask Nathan to undergo a test too. She sighs. Why did everything always have to be so complicated? Why did her mother die when she was ten? Why did she get involved in _two_ love triangles? Why was she pregnant with her best friend's boyfriend's child? And why was her reason for living this sick? Loaded with these thoughts, she enters a turbulent sleep.

* * *

"Nathan…" the little boy whined " ice-cream…"

"No, Sam." Nathan objected. "You're mom would be mad if I'd ruin your appetite."

"What she make?" the two year old asks.

"Brussels sprouts."

The blonde haired boy acts like he has to throw up.

"Hey…" Nathan warns him "the Easter hare isn't going to bring you any toys if you're a bad boy."

"If I eat sprouts, can have ice-cream?" The mini-Lucas looks up at his cousin.

Nathan squints his eyes, looking across the street. Is that Peyton Sawyer walking? It has to be. He could recognize those unique curls everywhere.

"Nathan!" The little boy pulls his cousin's sweater.

"Yeah…you can have ice-cream. But now I'm bringing you back to your mom."

A short walk later…

"Hey…" Lucas lifts his little brother onto his lap "Did you have fun with Nate?"

Before the little boy gets a chance to answer, his mother walks in, appalled at her youngest son appearance.

"Sam! You look like you rolled into a mud pool! To the bathroom! Right away!"

Sam stares at his big brother, looking for support. But Lucas gestures with his head he has to listen and so Sam saunters to the bathroom reluctantly. Lucas smiles as he watches his brother walk away. When he turns his head and sees the serious look on Nathan's face, his smile disappears.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Not quite…" Nathan looks into his brother's eyes. "...I saw Peyton."

"What?" Lucas briefly looks at his feet and then again at his brother. "Are you sure?"

Nathan gives a conforming nod.

"What are you gonna do?" he asks.

"What do you mean?" Lucas sips his semi-cold coffee.

"Don't you want answers?" Nathan asks, not understanding his brother's indifferent reaction.

"If she wants to talk to me…She knows where to find me."

Lucas puts his cup down and stares at his brother. Then he grabs his coat and leaves the café.

"I need some air."

As always, when he feels confused or just plain bad, he winds up at the River Court. His feet rest on the bench, his hands crossed, he's staring over the water. A million of questions are running through his mind: why did she leave without as much as a 'goodbye? Why didn't she keep in contact? Why is she back? Why now?

* * *

In the meanwhile, Peyton walks through the high grass. She's nervous. Nervous for the confrontation. And he'll want answers, answers she might not be able to give. After a lot of tripping over branches, she arrives at the little basket court. Her heart beats at a high rate.

There he is. Even though he's turned with his back at her, she knows it's him. She feels paralyzed. Then, she takes a few steps forward, the pebbles grating under her feet. Lucas feels her presence, even though he hasn't even seen her yet. But he doesn't say a thing. Again, Peyton takes a few steps, now standing next to him. The wind blows through Lucas hair as Peyton's softly hits her face. It's only the two of them, surrounded by grass and a gray sky. They're so close, yet so far away. Peyton finally breaks the silence.

"I need to talk to you."

* * *


	3. Bitter Souvenirs

"Please say something, Luke."

Lucas turns his head and looks at her. She's just like he remembered her: petite with big hazel eyes and golden curls. Off course he doesn't know she just forgot her flattening iron and was forced to wear it like this now. But the feeling he has with facing her isn't the same as it was three years ago. Her image leaves him bitter.

"You're back."

"Yeah…" She nods almost invisible.

"Why? So you can leave again?"

He gives her a mocking look while the bitterness sounds through in his voice.

"That's not fair…"

"Talk." Lucas says cold.

"What?"

"You said you wanted to talk…"

"Can we go somewhere else?"

Lucas briefly rolls his eyes. She's in no position to be this demanding, he thinks.

"Please?" She insists.

He stands up and walks away without any information about where they're going or even_ if _they're going somewhere to talk. Peyton can't do anything except follow him like a puppy.

* * *

"How've you been?" She asks hesitantly when they're in a small tearoom.

"Good." He answers snappy.

"I'm sorry things didn't work out with Brooke."

"How do you kn…"

"My dad." She cuts him off. Woops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that, she thinks. He doesn't look too happy.

"Well that's just great," he snorts scornful. "Peyton, what are you doing here?"

She briefly bows here head and then looks up at him.

"When I left…"

"Do we have to do this?" He interrupts her in an irritated tone.

"Listen to me for God sake!" Peyton loses her cool and hisses, a tad too loud.

Both look around a bit embarrassed as people stare.

"I was pregnant, Luke," she says in an almost whispering tone. When he doesn't say anything but just gazes at her like a deer in headlights, she starts to chatter nervously. "I was pregnant and scared and alone…And the father of my child was with my best friend. I couldn't tell you, not just because of Brooke but I didn't want to rob you from your future. You need to und…"

"Wait. You were…" Lucas' brain is in a state of utter confusion and still stuck at the sentence 'I was pregnant'. Peyton sighs and pulls a picture out of her purse.

"She just turned three."

Lucas picks up the picture and stares at it, almost in a trance. Except for the curls, and maybe her nose, this little girl is his spitting image. He suddenly feels suffocated. This seems all so unreal.

"Luke?" Peyton tries to get his reaction after a few seconds of waiting.

"What's her name?" he asks without ripping his eyes away from the smiling child in her blue pyjamas.

"Ellie…well Elizabeth but we call her Ellie."

Lucas looks up and stares in Peyton's eyes. It scares Peyton a bit to see the anger and pain in them. She doesn't know him like this.

"Why now?" He asks.

"What?"

"Why did you decide to tell me this now? After three years? Do you need money?"

After those last words are spoken, Peyton feels like she's been hit with a sledgehammer. How could he react like this? How could he think she would ask such a thing?

"No…" she answers appalled. "I would _never_ do that…"

"Then why?" Lucas insists.

"She's sick, Luke. It's her kidney's…if something doesn't happen soon, she could die. You or Nathan…you could be a match."

"So basically you came back for my _kidneys_, no wait, for me or _Nathan_'s kidneys."

"I came back for your daughter!" Peyton has to restrain herself from slapping him across the face.

"She's my daughter? After you hid her for three years, now she suddenly my daughter?"

Peyton heaves a sigh. All she wants is for him to go with her to Boston and see if he's a match. She doesn't want to handle all this drama, especially not now.

"You know..." Lucas continues vending. "What you did, leaving with my child, was cold and harsh. Hell, what you're doing _now_ is cold! I guess people don't change. Once a bitch, always a bitch."

"_Excuse me?!?_ What the hell's your problem, Luke?"

OK, she knows what his problem is but he could try to be a bit more understanding. She doesn't know him like this. He used to be so caring and sweet towards her and now, well now he's just an ass.

"YOU!!!" he shouts with fire in his blue eyes. He loved her. He loved her and she left him without looking back.

Peyton stands up and throws some money on the table. She then walks out of the tearoom. All eyes are set on Lucas who also stands up and follows her on the pavement.

"Don't you DARE leave again!" He runs after her, lifting his finger warning.

She abruptly turns around.

"This is NOT about me! It's about the girl on that picture you're holding there!"

Lucas stops and notices she's right, the photo is still firmly clutched between his finger.

"I can't imagine living without her." Peyton continues, the tears welling up in her eyes. "She means everything to me," Peyton screams teary eyed. "And I…I…She could die," she says now more softly, her voice breaking but her eyes never leaving Lucas'.

Lucas walks up to her until he's only inches away. He softly tucks her hair behind her ear. Yes, he's angry with her but it's Peyton and he can't stand to see her this vulnerable. It's weird how you can love and hate a person at the same time. Peyton briefly hesitates but then lets him take her in his arms.

"She could die, Luke…"

"It's OK," he comforts her. "Just tell me what I've got to do."

* * *

I hope you like it and thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate it.


	4. Not Yet Vaccinated

'Wow' is Nathan's primary and somewhat silly reaction upon hearing Peyton's 'story'. If Peyton hadn't told him to go sit down, he would've probably been lying on the floor by now. Fainted by shock.

"I know this is weird, especially after three years and I'd totally understand if you say 'no'." Peyton quickly says seeing his confused bug-eyes.

"Peyton, I…I need some time to think about this," he mumbles.

"Sure." Peyton awkwardly glances across the room. All these pictures, all these moments she has missed...

"When are you leaving?" Nathan looks up at her, ripping her attention away from his wall.

"My flight leaves tomorrow at 11 AM."

"That's…fast."

"I know."

Nathan frowns and then says:

"I'm gonna talk to Haley about this first, see what she says…"

"Off course. If you decide to come...I'll be waiting at the airport. Gate 8 . If you don't…No hard feelings."

Peyton stands up and walks towards the door.

"Hey." Nathan calls her.

"Yeah?" She turns her head.

"I missed you, Sawyer."

For the first time since her visit in Tree Hill, a smile appears on Peyton's face.

"Thanks…" While opening the door, she looks over her shoulder at the brunette Scott brother. "And Nate…I missed you too."

* * *

'He isn't coming' echoes through Peyton's head. Weirdly enough, it's not Nathan, but Lucas who's missing at the entrance of the gate. She smiles faintly at Nathan who has really been great about this. He showed up about an hour ago, telling her he would do everything for her. While they were talking, he even made her laugh out loud once when he told about his debacles as the coach in Tree Hill High. Peyton feels guilty for ripping him away from his job and wife even though Nathan had told her not to worry about it. He has always been a great friend. And now they are here together, waiting for Lucas in this very white -which gives it a sterile impression-airport for his brother. Out of the loud-speaker sounds a female voice with a message of their flight to Boston.

"He isn't coming, Nate." Peyton shakes her head disappointed.

Nathan sighs and puts his arm around her. While they walk together towards the gate, Nathan hears someone calling his name. They both turn around to see Lucas running their way.

"Thank God," Nathan says a bit too loud.

"I got caught up in traffic," Lucas puffs, the message more directed to Nathan than to Peyton, who he only gives a reserved smile before entering the plane with her and his brother.

* * *

"Does this remember you of something?" Nathan asks his brother. Next to him, by the window, Peyton is sleeping. Lucas looks at Nathan confused.

"When we found out dad had HCM. We both needed to get tested too."

"Yeah," Lucas sighs not too pleased by the memory. "Good times." He adds bitter.

"Look, man…I know this sucks…" Nathan tries to talk about his situation.

"No, not at all. I see it as…an adventure, a new path." He says sarcastically, moving his hands like a spiritual leader.

"Why not?" Nathan asks semi-whispering, not wanting to wake the curly blonde next to him up. "You have a daughter, and you'll get the chance to bond with her."

"Come on, Nate." He looks at his brother raising an eyebrow.

"I don't understand this…"

"What?" Lucas asks irritated.

"Forget it. Be an ass for all I care. Just don't work the grudge you hold towards Peyton out on that little girl when you see her."

"I don't hold a grudge!"

"Please, you nagged like an old woman for months when she left..." Nathan faces Lucas. "Why do you think Brooke broke up with you?"

"I DON'T HOLD A GRUDGE AND I DIDN'T NAG FOR MONTHS!" Lucas says raising his voice.

"Whatever you say, man."

"I mean it!"

"Fine!" Nathan replies annoyed.

"Fine."

"...nag." Nathan adds very softly.

Lucas gives his brother a look that could kill and than sinks deeper into his seats, putting his ear bugs in.

* * *

"We're almost there." Lucas says a tad nervous. The two brothers changed seats about a half hour ago when Nathan went to the bathroom. "Someone should wake Peyton." Nathan notices.

Nathan gives Lucas a look and a small push.

"NO." Lucas says almost without sound. "Why don't you wake her?"

"'Cause you're closer, now come on! She isn't poisonous."

Lucas hesitates because that's actually what he's scared of: to be poisoned by her. It so easy for her to do that, her gestures, her smile, her beauty,…Every single thing about her that he loves, he hates at the same time. She caused him so much pain when she left, pain he doesn't want to feel ever again.

He touches her vaguely:

"We're here."

"Yeah, that'll wake her up." Nathan snorts mocking his brother.

"Peyton…." He lightly taps her arm. "Wake up."

Losing his patience as Nathan looks at him ridiculing; he bows over and raises his voice.

"PEYTON!"

Peyton suddenly shoots out of her chair, bumping into Lucas' head.

"Auch," they both scream while Nathan has to restrain himself from bursting into laughter. Peyton rubs her forehead but when she looks out of the window and sees the familiar city, she forgets about the painful spot that'll probably make room for a bump. She now concentrates on Ellie. How she hopes Nathan or Lucas are a match and the feeling of anxiousness she has with thinking about Ellie meeting Lucas, or the other way around for that matter.

* * *


	5. Mine

"I don't like Scar," the little blonde says, scrunching her face. "He's _evil_," she adds popping her blue eyes. Charlotte, who strongly resembles Kristin Davis, laughs and then closes the Disney book.

"Enough reading. I'm going to watch 'The Bold and The Beautiful' now."

She crosses her legs and takes the remote while Ellie looks at her pouting. Halfway through the episode, the curly little blonde still gazes at Charlotte.

"What are you doing?" Charlotte asks with a smile.

"I'm acting like the people on TV."

Charlotte laughs and blushes a bit too. The Bold and The Beautiful is her guilty pleasure. She would never watch it when Peyton is around as she would probably make fun of her.

"You crazy girl." She briefly strokes Ellie's head.

But as soon as the commercials are over, Ellie is without attention again and dazes off.

* * *

About an hour later, she wakes up to see a familiar set of hazel eyes.

"Mommy!!!" She shouts full of enthusiasm.

Ellie stretches her arms out towards her mother.

"Hi, sweetie." Peyton hugs her daughter. "How've you been? Good?"

The little blonde nods and points to the round table standing near the mini-fridge.

"I made you a drawing."

Peyton picks up the leaf of paper.

"Thank you..." She gives Ellie a big smile and then studies the drawing puzzled. "What is it?"

"But mommy...it's you!" She points to two colourful spots. "That's your eyes!" She stares at her hand long and then shows three fingers. "I use three colours. Orange and green and a little blue."

Peyton goes through her daughter's hair loving and smiles at her.

"It's very nice. I'll hang it up at the record store."

Ellie proudly smiles. Peyton puts the drawing back and then frowns lightly, bowing her head.

"Sweetie…do you remember when I told you about your daddy?" She looks up at her daughter.

"Yes. You love him very, very much," Ellie nods.

"That's right." Peyton answers. "Well, when I was away, I went to see him." She'll leave the uncle part out for now. Ellie will have enough to deal with already.

The girl looks at her mother confused with her ice-blue eyes. She then brings her thumb towards her mouth, what she usually does when she gets distressed. Normally, Peyton would tell her not to but she realizes Ellie needs that little comfort now. She continues.

"And I brought him with me."

"Here?" The girl looks around a bit scared.

"It's OK…" Peyton puts a comforting hand on Ellie's. "He would like to see you." She looks deep into her daughter's eyes, reassuring her she's safe with her.

"When?" She has the same deer-in-headlights look her mother often produces when faced with unpleasant situations.

A knock on the door. Ellie catches her breath and grabs her mother's arm. Now that the unknown and unfamiliar is coming so close she feels really uncomfortable.

"Now, but baby, if you don't want to, it's fine…You don't have to." She softly squeezes her daughter's hand. "So…what do you think? Do you want to meet him?"

Ellie stares a few seconds in front of her. She then faces her mother and nods bravely.

"Are you sure?"

The girl nods again as her golden curls softly bounce along.

"OK, then." Peyton softly brushes Ellie's cheek. She then stands up and opens the door. Ellie goes to sit up straight a bit more and looks across the room with a cross of curiosity and angst. Lucas walks up to his daughter, Peyton right behind him.

What the little girl doesn't know is that her father, this tall, broad shouldered man, is as nervous, maybe even more, as her. He goes to sit down in the closest chair next to her while Ellie watches his every move with attentive eyes. Peyton joins Lucas, sitting near the middle of the bed. Lucas looks at his daughter, straight into her eyes. The exact same ice-blue eyes as him. And the same lips...and the same heart-shaped face. Choked by emotions, he isn't able to say something right away.

"Hi." Ellie then hesitantly says, a bit afraid he's disappointed and that's why he isn't saying anything.

Lucas smiles at her and then softly says, his voice almost breaking:

"Hi."

A long silence follows where they look at each other. Ellie feels the urge to touch his face and squeeze it or something similar...just to make sure he's real.

"Ellie…" Peyton breaks the silence. "Tell him what you said when you saw his picture."

"No…" the girl immediately shouts, a lot more dynamic now.

Lucas looks at Peyton and smiles non-understanding.

"She's a bit shy about this." Peyton teases her daughter. "Come on Ellie..." Peyton briefly touches her hand.

Ellie briefly bows her head a bit embarrassed and then looks up at her father.

"I said: "He's the most handsome man in the whole world."

"That's what she said." Peyton confirms Ellie's words. Lucas smiles at Ellie and carefully tucks a curl behind her ear.

"And you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

Now that the worst part is over, Ellie feels a lot more at ease.

"Prettier than mommy?" She asks hoping for a positive answer.

"Ellie..." Peyton blushes. Lucas looks over his shoulder and gazes intensely in Peyton's hazels with a hint of nostalgia.

"Your mommy isn't a girl anymore…"

Ellie frowns. She doesn't understand what he means...or why he's staring at her mommy like that. She doesn't know her parents share this much history.

Peyton feels as if Lucas is watching in her soul and she doesn't want that, as he probably doesn't want to make her feel that way again. But he doesn't realize he does. He always does.

"Ellie, sweetie, it's time to go to bed," Peyton runs away from her emotions. She's good at that.

"No…" Ellie pouts. "I'm not tired yet."

"I'll read you a story." Peyton stands up, feeling uncomfortable. Those damn eyes always seem to plough through her deepest thoughts and feelings.

"Pooh?" Ellie asks hopeful.

"Sure." Peyton takes a 'Pooh'- hard cover.

"Can he stay?" She points at Lucas.

"Yeah…" Peyton faintly smiles at he daughter. "He can stay if you want." She briefly looks at Lucas and then turns back to read Ellie.

"If it's fine with you…" Lucas cuts Peyton off before she has the chance to even open the book. "…I'd like to read her."

"Are you sure?" Peyton asks. "It's a very long story."

"It's probably still not long enough."

Ellie looks back and forward at her mother and father looking at each other. Like the people aunt Charlotte watches on TV.

"OK." Peyton slowly hands 'The House at Pooh Corner' over to Lucas who cracks a faint smile.

"I'm going to the bathroom." Peyton decided to give them some privacy.

She walks out of the room and Lucas starts reading his daughter who really doesn't pay attention to the story for a single second. Lucas notices she keeps gazing at him and looks her briefly in the eyes with an 'I caught you' - smile after which Ellie quickly stares at the drawings of the greedy bear.

When Peyton returns, instead of entering the room, she leans against the door and watches them. And smiles.

* * *


	6. Remember The Good

Nathan turns the (sports) page of The Boston Globe as Lucas is bowed over a sleeping Ellie, just looking at her. They've been there about an hour. Thirty minutes ago, a nurse who apparently wasn't informed concerning the little patient's new family members, came by to check up on Ellie. She was about to call security when Lucas explained the situation. The nurse then looked back and forward between Ellie and Lucas and then calmed down, admitting: "She does a lot like you. It's almost eerie."

Lucas caught himself feeling proud. Maybe because Ellie is a beautiful child but maybe that doesn't matter and what he's feeling is just typical for a father; to be happy your 'offspring' looks like you. Like that somehow helps you connect more with the child.

Suddenly Ellie starts to move and crawls from under her blue blanket, stretching as she yawns. When she opens her blue eyes- a feature that obviously runs in the family- she's sees Lucas - she has decided to call him that for the time being- watching her like a monkey in the zoo.

"Good morning, princess…"

Lucas briefly smiles at his nickname for her. It just slipped out. He'll keep it though. It fits her.

"Good morning." She answers with a smile.

Did you sleep well?" Lucas asks her as Nathan puts down his paper and moves closer to Ellie.

Ellie nods and stares at Nathan a bit sceptic.

"Who is he?"

"Nathan. He's your… uncle."

"Oh…" She has never had one of those before, an uncle. Ellie looks at Nathan from head to toe, valuing him the same way Peyton does when she meets someone new, but a little less subtle. "Do you like Scar?" She asks him like what appears to be out of the blue to Nathan. He doesn't know The Lion King has been her object of obsession for quite some time now. She does always ask her mommy to fast forward through the part where Mufasa dies. It's too upsetting.

Nathan gives Lucas a hesitant look but his brother just shrugs.

"Scars?"

"No, Scar." She claws with her hands and growls.

"Oh, oh…Scar." Nathan laughs at Ellie's motions." No, I don't like him. He's not a good…lion?"

"No." Ellie confirms, pleased with his answer.

"So, now that we cleared that out," Nathan says amused "...we can be friends?"

Ellie nods and Nathan shakes her hand that completely disappears in his. The surprise of meeting Nathan has quickly worn off for Ellie and she notices her mother's absence.

"Where's mommy?"

"At work. She'll come this afternoon." Lucas answers her, even though his daughter doesn't really listen. Ellie's hungry and wants to eat. She tries to crawl out of bed but Lucas puts her back under her sheets.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Ellie briefly looks at him. "Get a cookie," she then answers as she crawls from under her blanket again, not impressed at all.

Authority, definitely something I should work on, Lucas thinks as he puts the little girl back yet again. "I'll go get you a cookie…or real breakfast." Lucas says as he walks out of the room, leaving Nathan and Ellie alone for a brief moment.

Nathan puts the TV on to check something about the NY Knicks. In the meanwhile, Ellie softly takes a DVD from the little wooden table next to her.

She then looks at Nathan, waiting until he looks back at her. When he does, she asks in a sweet voice with big eyes :

"Do you want to watch Simba?"

* * *

Lucas walks out of Ellie's room just as Peyton comes in, returning from work in the late afternoon.

"She's sleeping." Lucas whispers as he closes the door behind him, also leaving Peyton in the hallway. "I'm going downstairs to get a coffee. Wanna come?"

She briefly hesitates but then agrees.

"Sure."

They head for the cafeteria, which is already fully decorated for Christmas, and go sit in a table in the corner.

"Where's Nate?" Peyton asks sipping her cappuccino.

"He's still in the doctor's waiting room."

"Why?" Peyton frowns. He had the test hours ago and should be walking around by now.

"He fainted." Lucas says with a vague smile.

"What? How come?"

"The needles." Nathan scared Lucas for a moment there when he fell to the ground but looking back, it's actually kind of funny. A 180 pound guy, afraid of a tiny needle.

"Oh yeah…Totally forgot that." Peyton places her hand on her fore head. "I feel so guilty right now."

"He'll survive." Lucas gives her a smile.

Peyton smiles back and looks him in the eyes. And for the first time, behind the wall of bitterness, she sees kindness looking back in his blue eyes. A feeling Peyton thought he had lost long ago towards her.

"Look, Luke, I -" she tries to start about them.

But Lucas looks down and cuts her of.

"So the results should be here soon?" He asks, even though he knows when they get the results. The doctor informed him concerning the whole transplantation process this morning. He just feels she wants to raise the (painful) past and quickly changes the subject. It's not because he doesn't love her he avoids solving their issues. He loves her. He knows that and he has accepted that even though it hurts because they can never go back to the way they were. What's done is done and he just isn't sure he can forgive.

"This evening normally." Peyton answers his question with a small sigh. She's normally the one pushing people away and ignoring problems. Not him. And frankly, she's getting sick of it. Maybe she made the wrong decision not telling him but she was a pregnant teenage girl and he was in love with her best friend. What could she have done? Happily announce her pregnancy?

For the rest of their time in the cafeteria, they drink their coffee in silence.

* * *

"Mr Nathan Scott?" The doctor asks. It's a different one from the one who tested Lucas and Nathan this morning.

"Yes?" Nathan moves a bit forward on his chair.

"So that means you're Mr _Lucas_ Scott." The doctor states the obvious as he lets his eyes run over the test results.

Peyton gets nervous and is just an inch away from slapping the answers she wants out of him.

"Dr York… is there a match?" She asks impatiently.

"Let me see." The chubby doctor positions his reading glasses on the bridge of his nose. He looks a bit like Mr Owl from Sesame Street. An owl Peyton would like to strangle right about now. Also Lucas and Nathan think the doctor's sloth is ridiculous.

"Here it is…" The doctor looks at what appears to be the bottom of the page. "We've got a suitable match, " Dr Jones says and looks up at them smiling.

A feeling of relief and happiness comes over them.

"Who is it?" Peyton asks, unable to suppress a smile of happiness while she's talking.

"Sorry?" The doctor looks as if a bomb just dropped behind Lucas, Nathan and Peyton. "O, yes…" he briefly shakes his head confused. Nathan raises his eyebrow at his brother, questioning the man's ability. "The matching donor is Mr Lucas Scott."

Although it didn't matter who the donor is, as long as Ellie is saved; Lucas' happy it's him and not Nathan. _He_ wants to do this for his daughter. He may not have been able to be there for Ellie in the past but he'll give her her future. A future she'll spend with him.

* * *


	7. I Can't Control The Past

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews I've gotten. I really appreciate them. All you reviewers (and readers) are awesome!**

* * *

"How are you holding up?"

Nathan goes to sit next to girl who used to be his girlfriend, in a previous lifetime really. Peyton, who has her face buried in her hands, looks up, wiping her eyes in tiredness. She didn't have a lot of sleep at night, the worries bothering her. Now she has been outside the operating room for two hours, waiting for news. Although 97 of all the kidney transplants go just fine, she can't help but be nervous, and the cup of coffee Nathan just handed her isn't going to help. But to be honest, the operation isn't the only thing bothering her. It's the fact that Lucas tries everything he can to distance himself from her even further than they already are. He hates her, she's certain. And it hurts her to know it's all her fault.

"I'm fine." She lies. "Thanks Nate."

"You're welcome."

Peyton smiles faintly and sips her coffee.

"How long are they gonna be in there?" Nathan motions to the operating room.

"Ellie should be out in an hour."

"And Luke?"

"The donor's operation takes about an thirty minutes longer."

Nathan nods and a deafening silence follows. Peyton looks down while he stares at her valuing. Usually, when people have to wait great deal of time, they start to rethink their life, their actions, and other's people's actions. Like now.

"Why didn't you turn to any of us for help?"

"What?"

"I'm not even talking about Luke now but about me and Haley. We would've been there for you."

"I don't know, Nate." Peyton shrugs. She isn't in the mood to justify herself again."I guess I'm just a bad person."

"I didn't say that-"

"No, but you're thinking it."

Nathan remains silent. He doesn't think she's a bad person, but what she did to his brother, _is_ in his opinion.

"Look, I regret that I didn't have the guts to tell Lucas. I admit, I made mistakes." Her tone becomes more stern. "But so did Lucas."

"Peyton…" Nathan feels a bit guilty about bringing the past up now that he sees her sad hazels.

"No. How do you think it was for me?" She's getting really angry now. "Pregnant, alone, with Brooke and Lucas making out in the background? Huh?" She forces him to look at her. "Well let me tell you, it was awful." Peyton leans back; making it look like the discussion is over here. But Nathan sees something is brooding in her mind.

"You know what?" She starts again. "He has no reason to hate me, if he wouldn't have been such a confused little high school boy, not knowing to choose which g-"

"Oh, Sawyer, I thought I was the naïve one here."

"What do you mean?" She asks a bit calmer, nonetheless annoyed.

"Luke isn't so cold because he hates you. He loves you. Why do you think he and Brooke didn't work out?"

Peyton is speechless.

"I-I didn-" She stutters a bit. Peyton knew Brooke and Lucas broke up but she didn't know she was the reason.

"Hey, sweetie!" A concerned, female voice approaches her from the left.

"Hi." Peyton embraces Charlotte faintly yet sincerely.

"Sorry I'm late." She quickly excuses herself. "How are you?"

"Nervous." Peyton answers with a sigh.

When Charlotte manages to tear her sad eyes from Peyton, she notices Nathan.

"Nathan." He offers her his hand. "Lucas' brother."

"Charlotte. Nice to meet you." She answers and shakes his hand. Charlotte then returns to stare at Peyton with obvious pity in her warm brown eyes. Peyton knows she means it well but she can't help but to be irritated and stands up.

"Where are you going?" Charlotte immediately asks with a motherly concern. Not really startling since she has always taken care of Peyton .

"Bathroom."

* * *

"So, you've known Peyton for a long time?" Nathan asks Charlotte after about a minute of uncomfortable silence.

"Almost 4 years." She nods.

Nathan gives her an asking look, indicating he wants more information.

"The day I met her…I thought it was going to be just another boring day at work. I worked in my father's record store back then, alphabetizing records and similar stuff, very boring- to me atleast- , when this pregnant girl walked in. She was so young and I felt..." Charlotte searches for the right word "...an urge. To help her." I talked to her a bit and it appeared her name was Peyton and that she had been working as a waitress for the past couple of months."

"It must have been so hard for her." Nathan mumbles under his breath.

" It was." Charlotte confirms. She then continues. "Anyway, I felt sorry for her, so I offered her a job at the record store. After a while, we became friends. When I saw where she lived, a- I don't know how else to say it - a _dump,_ I decided Peyton should come live with me and my husband. When Ellie was born, Peyton thought we should become godfather -and mother."

"What about Larry?" Nathan asks. He knows Larry moved for Australia and had always figured Peyton had moved there too.

"He died."

"What?" Nathan asks with a high-pitched voice. His brown eyes pop.

"Two years ago, his plane crashed."

Nathan feels sadness, shock and a little guilt all at once. Charlotte notices and confirms his thoughts.

"I guess when God was handing out luck, Peyton wasn't really first in line."

"No." Nathan leans back, sighing deeply. Poor Peyton, he thinks. "She was lucky to meet you, though."

Charlotte faintly smiles and then too heaves a sighs. "Peyton stayed with me and my husband for about two years." She pauses and thinks back about a younger, helpless Peyton. "She was so scared. But now she has a cozy flat and she runs the record store better than I ever did." She concludes the story of the course of their friendship. "That girl knows _alot _about music." She adds clearly impressed.

Nathan nods vaguely.

"You're a good person, Charlotte. Not many people would do what you did."

"Thanks." She says with a hint of proudness. "The only thing I haven't been able to help her with is finding somebody she loves. She keeps pushing everyone away. People always leave, she always tells me."

"Sounds like Peyton." He briefly pauses and thinks about Larry. That must've been another heavy blow for Peyton.

Charlotte smiles faintly and looks away, appearing to be all talked out. Nathan then asks:

"Did she ever mention us? Tree Hill? Lucas?"

"Every single day…" She thinks for a second about all the stories Peyton told over the years about her home town. "She loved all of you. And especially the boy."

"He loved her too. He still does." Nathan pulls the corners of his mouth downwards, not sure if he should have said that last one to, to him, a complete stranger. He feels like an old woman gossiping. Although gossiping is mostly associated with small talk and this conversation is the polar opposite of that. Lucas would kill him if he knew Nathan was blabbing about his feelings for Peyton to her best friend.

"Usually when you love somebody, you don't date that person's best friend." Charlotte points out.

Nathan frowns. He knows his brother made some crappy decisions concerning Peyton and Brooke but he doesn't deserve the past coming back to bite him in the ass like this. He wasn't the only teenage boy to be 'torn between two lovers'.

"What?" Charlotte notices his frown.

"It wasn't that simple." Nathan vaguely shakes his head. "Nothing with them ever was."

A bit beaten, they both shut their mouths. But something is brooding in Nathan's mind.

"Do you think she still loves him?" He asks, once again breaking the silence.

"She won't ever admit it but...yes. I think she does."

"We should bring them back together."

"You want to play Cupid?" Charlotte smiles mockingly. "I think things have changed Nathan. They're adults. They have a daughter."

What better reason for them to kiss and make up? They deserve happiness."

Charlotte softly laughs. "This isn't high school. Relationships, people don't work that way anymore."

"OK, I know the way I put it is simplistic but I think we should try to make them learn how to love again."

Charlotte raises an eyebrow.

"Sure, Danielle Steel."

Nathan smirks and then softly bumps against her arm.

"Come on, what do you say? I'll be Eros, you Cupid."

"There both the same." Charlotte notices. Nathan sighs and she adds:

"Fine. Let's give it a go." She lifts her index finger warning. "But if it fails, I'm blaming you."

"This is going to b-" He's cut off by Charlotte poking his arm with her elbow. He turns his head and watches Peyton head their way.

"I'm back." The curly blonde says in a sigh and plumps down next to Charlotte who looks a bit nervous.

"What?" Peyton asks. She turns her head towards Nathan and sees he's the same. "What?" She repeats in a high-pitched voice.

"Nothing." The unanimous response is.

Peyton frowns and then leans back in her seat. She isn't going to ask further. There are more important things know then Charlotte and Nathan acting odd.

* * *

Peyton, Nathan and Charlotte all look up when Dr Williamson approaches them. Peyton immediately stands up, wanting to ask how they are but Dr Williamson is too fast.

"Everything went fine. They're both in recovery room."

Peyton can't suppress to urge to fly around the doctor's neck and give him a hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Her eyes become moist as tears of happiness well up in her eyes. She doesn't cry though.

"It's what we do, Ms Sawyer." The doctor answers kindly.

"Can we see them?" Nathan asks with a cross of relief and happiness. Peyton has in the mean while let go of the doctor and now looks at him, hoping the response to Nathan's question will be positive.

"No. " Dr Williamson simply states. "In the Recovery room no visitors are allowed."

"How long will they be there?" Charlotte asks as the doctor constantly has to shift his attention from one person to another.

"About three hours. Then they'll be transferred to a normal hospital room."

Peyton goes to sit back in her seat, dreading the prospect of having to wait another three hours.

"Ms Sawyer..." The doctor adresses her. "Get out of this waiting toom for a while. You've been here long enough."

"I don't know..." She wants too but is it the right thing to do? Her daughter is recovering from a transplant, shouldn't she wait for her?

"He's right, sweetie." Charlotte rubs Peyton's back. "Let's have lunch. I promise you we'll be there when they wake up."

"OK." Peyton gives in. They all 'rise' from their seats. Peyton again thanks Dr Williamson and then the three of them head out for lunch, the most physical thing they've done all day.

* * *


	8. We're Still Alive

_He leans in and softly kisses her all over her face. His blonde hair tickles her soft skin, causing her to giggle. He brushes his lips against her left shoulder and when he pulls back, he notices an almost invisible white stripe._

_"You've got a scar here."_

_"I know. I fell on a rock in the woods when I was four. I hate it."_

_"Well, then I'll take it from you."_

_"What? My scar?" She laughs._

_"Yes. That spot here..." He draws an invisible circle around the scar. "...is mine."_

_"Oh, yeah? What else is?"_

_While summing up, he kisses every one of her features._

_"Your neck, and your chin...your cheeks." He avoids her lips on purpose. "Your nose..." _

_Peyton then cups his face and guides his mouth towards her lips. _

_"Your lips." He mumbles in between kisses. "U-huh." Peyton briefly nods but then quickly pulls the blonde boy's lips back to where they belong: on her lips. __When they come above for air, he grabs his camera lying on his night stand._

_'No, Luke!" Peyton objects. _

_"One?" He begs._

_"One." She lifts one finger._

_ Lucas takes a picture , in a moment that they're completely and totally happy. He would put that picture in his Peyton box later. He leans in again but just before his lips would touch hers, Peyton rolls from under his body and walks towards the door. Huh? This is not like he remembered._

"_Peyt? Where are you going?" Lucas asks confused. "Come back here."_

"_I'm leaving." _

"_Well, when are you coming back?" He goes to sit up straight._

_Peyton shakes her head. "Never. I'm leaving **you**."_

_He hastily crawls of his bed and runs over to her._

"_What do you mean? We were jus-…I don't understand."_

"_You and Brooke belong together."_

"_Peyt-"_

_She turns around but he takes her hand. He looks at her hopeful that she'll change her mind and stay. But she pulls away and leaves, just like she said she would._

"_Goodbye, Luke." _

_He shakes his head confused. She isn't making any sense. Before Lucas has the chance to follow her, she has disappeared in thin air._

"_Peyton!" He yells. "PEYTON!!!" He searches the streets but everything seemed so foggy. "I love **you**… Come back! Peyton!!!" He lets himself slide down against a wall and places his hand on the sides of his head. He has lost her. Everything becomes dark as if the night closes in in a rapid tempo._

"Lucas! LUCAS!" A soft female voice wakes him. His eyelashes bat together as he quickly opens his eyes. To his relief, he sees the blonde he just lost bowed over him. She stares directly into his blue eyes. Her hazels reveal concern.

"Are you OK?"

He nods and then immediately asks: "How's Ellie?"

"She's still asleep but everything went fine."

In the heat of the moment, relieved because Ellie's OK and Peyton is...well, here; he stretches his arms and wraps them around the beautiful blonde, pulling her close against him. She can feel his body trembling a bit. After a few seconds, Peyton pulls back and instinctively runs her fingers through his hair.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain? Should I get the doctor?"

Lucas shakes his head, although he is experience a bit of physical pain. But that really isn't his source of his discomfort right now.

"Peyt, I forgive you."

He looks her deep in the eyes and repeats a bit calmer:

"I forgive you."

A soft smile appears on Peyton's face. Lucas pulls her closer again.

"Lucas, h-" Peyton tries to start a conversation.

"Can we just forget the past four year for a moment?" He cuts her off while stroking her curls. "And lay here, together?"

She nods. They'll have to talk about what happened sooner or later but for now, maybe this was enough.

"OK."

Peyton pulls her legs up and her full body now lays on his bed, against his body. She lowers herself a bit and lets her head rest on his chest, yet carefully avoids the area around his abdomen. She wouldn't want to hurt him. Lucas looks down at her and feels a sense of ease run over him. Soothed by each other's warmth, they close their eyes.

* * *

"Peyt-" Charlotte silences when she sees the boy, as she likes to call him, and her best friend sleeping into each other's arms. Peyton's right arm rests next to Lucas' head. Her left hand and her head rise and fall with the rhythm of his heartbeat while his arm is fully wrapped around her petite frame, almost possessive. A silent 'awww' escapes her lips.

"Charlotte did you find …" Nathan quickly sees the two blondes and finishes his sentence in awe "…Peyton?"

"Maybe they don't need our help." Charlotte says to Nathan without looking at him. "They are so cute."

"Yeah, but they're Luke and Peyton too. They need all the help they can get."

Charlotte nods at him and then looks their direction again, endeared.

"They look so peaceful like…" Nathan thinks a bit "…turtles."

Charlotte raises her eyebrow at him. "Turtles. Couldn't you come up with something more romantic ?"

"Like what?" He dares her.

"Like…doves."

"They shit on people's head."

"Fine then. Let's just see them as two confused lovers in need for a reunion."

"Fine."

Peyton slowly opens her eyes and looks down at Lucas a bit dazed. She bows over and kisses him softly on his cheek. She carefully rises from the bed and notices Nathan and Charlotte who look at her with a big smile. Peyton looks at them like a deer in headlights.

"I…fell asleep." She states the obvious. She stands up and hand-irons her red tank-top. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We came to tell you Ellie woke up." Nathan answers.

"Oh…no…" Peyton stares down at her watch a bit shocked that she didn't think about her daughter immediately. "I'm such a bad mother," she mumbles while running through the door. "How could I forget?"

Charlotte runs along with Peyton to her godchild but Nathan decides to stay with his brother to wait until he wakes up. After about twenty minutes, his wait is over.

"Hi, man." Nathan says as soon as Lucas has opened his eyes. "How are you doing?"

"Good." He yawns. "What?" He asks when his brother keeps staring.

"Nothing, I just thought you'd feel a bit burdened, you know, you just had surgery and Peyton was all o-"

"Burdened? That's a big word for you, little brother."

"Oh, you're so funny, ever consider stand-up comedy?"

"Actually, I had worked out a whole show but then I thought: Why all this trouble? I can just show Nathan's face."

Nathan briefly thinks about firing a comment back but he knows it's no use: his brother is verbally much stronger than him. He should know better than to tease him but he just can't help it. Maybe it's a little remainder from when he used to harrass him.

"No seriously, what's up? How come you guys are suddenly two Huggy Bears? " He gets back on the subject.

"Seriously...I just realized life's too short." Lucas shrugs. "I can't stay mad at her forever."

"Good for you, man. I hated seeing you two distantly. You guys belong together."

"Ho, there." Lucas stops his brother the same way you stop a horse. "I said I forgave her, not that I was going to marry her. I don't think we see each other that way anymore."

"How?"

"Romantically."

Nathan rolls his eyes.

"You loved her from the minute you saw her when you were five."

"How do you kn-"

"Haley."

"Naturally." Lucas sighs. "But I'm not five anymore, Nate."

"Or sixteen? Luke, you've been in love with her whole your life."

"Let's say I do still…you know. Too much has happened, we're too damaged. And who says P-"

"Charlotte told me she still loves you." Nathan cuts his brother off.

"She did?" He voice sounds high-pitched. Realizing that he sounded a bit girly, he tries again more reserved. "She did?" His brother nods and Lucas asks: "Peyton told her she still loves me?"

"Well…not exactly. Charlotte_ thinks _she still loves you."

"Oh."

"Come on, man...You know she still does. Peyton just doesn't like to talk about her feelings that much. You of all people should know that."

"I'm tired." He covers himself a bit more with the white blanket, acting a tad childish. And maybe he has the right to be, Nathan thinks. His body is still adjusting to one kidney opposed to two and it's normal to feel a bit tired or not at ease but Nathan suspects the thing bothering his brother the most now is Peyton. He sighs and before he lets Lucas 'sleep', Nathan lets the poet in himself speak.

"You know there's still something there between the two of you, something worth saving. And if you still love her as much as I know for certain she loves you, you should fight for it."

Or else I'll do, he adds mentally.

* * *


	9. Look For The Rainbow

Cities could flood, planes could crash and houses could burn down, but Charlotte will never lose her Christmas spirit. Lucas, who has been home, or at least at Peyton's apartment, for about a day now, is getting a bit nervous at the sight of the brunette running around like wild broken out . But she's pretty much his only company right now. Ellie's asleep; Peyton is at work and Nathan fled the house because it was _or _commit suicide, _or _kill his brother. Lucas was driving him crazy! Charlotte has come up with the luminous idea of giving Lucas and Ellie a special bell. Every time they ring it, perfect housewife Charlotte comes running along. Especially Ellie takes advantage of it –even though her father is pretty bad too- with a mischievous smile on her face. She wouldn't dare ring that bell so much when her mother was around though.

"Ouch!" Lucas shouts out when branches full of green needles hit him in the head. He then rubs his forehead with a painful face.

"Sorry, sweetie." Charlotte turns the Christmas tree. "Hold that up for me, please." She hands him a light-blue Christmas ball. A bit later, she hangs a silver garland over his head. Lucas starts to feel pretty ridiculous but the brunette doesn't notice whilst decorating eagerly. It doesn't take long before Lucas is covered with lights, Christmas balls and shiny festoons. There's even a spare baby Jesus laying at his feet. He could get up and remove everything but at this moment, he is too simply too lazy. When he hears the door open, he looks over his shoulder, causing a bunch of decorations to fall on the floor.

"Wow, Charlotte…" Peyton steps in and looks around the room impressed "You did all this? It's amazing…"

Charlotte shrugs yet smiles proudly. Peyton's gaze shifts from the Christmas star on top of the pine tree to the blonde man lying in her couch.

"Oh, my God…" She bursts into laughter. "What did you do to the poor guy? He's more decorated than the tree is."

Peyton walks over to him with the intention of moving the garlands. She goes to sit down with him and removes a silvery swag but then changes her mind and playfully starts making a bow around his head. Lucas, who isn't eager on looking like an Easter egg and a Christmas tree at the same time, places his hands on Peyton's waist and tries to shuffle her away, yet tries not to hurt his stomach.

"No, Luke…I'm making you pretty." She teases him while stretching her hands at his head.

"OK, you asked for it." He says just when Peyton starts decorating his head again. He clears his throat and starts to sing Stairway to Heaven so off key; the curly blonde immediately backs away and covers her ears. There aren't many things she hates about him but his voice is certainly one of them. "Mercy!" She begs half-serious.

"...are misgiven." Lucas' shrill tones fill the air. "Woe-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh...And she's buying a stairway to h..."

"Luke, stop singing!!!"

Charlotte laughs at the two adults acting like kids. Since the day Lucas, woke up, she has seen their relationship improving with her own eyes. She's happy to see her 'protégée' enjoying herself so much. God knows, it has been a long time. Sneakily, she gets her camera. The first picture she takes looks very spontaneous. Naturally, since they didn't see her. But the following photos are awful. Hands covering faces and frozen mouths yelling 'No, Charlotte!'. She sighs and puts the camera away. Such babies!

* * *

It's evening. Lucas and Ellie have settled themselves in the roomy black couch. Ellie, with some help from Lucas, lit holly and Christmas tree-shaped, green-red candles. Lucas knows he and Nathan will have to return to Tree Hill soon, and he just wants to spend as much time as possible with his daughter while he can. Sometime this week, he and Peyton will probably work out a schedule concerning week-ends and holidays...But for now; he's just content having his daughter on his lap. Nathan, in the meanwhile, has retreated himself in the guest room to watch The Knicks. Ellie stretches her hands at her mother when she sees her carrying hot chocolate.

"What do you say?" Like her own mother, Peyton attaches a lot of importance to manners. She wouldn't want people to say her daughter is some impolite brat.

"Thank you…"

Peyton smiles whilst handing her a cup and goes to sit next to Ellie, who feels happy sitting in between the two of them.

Lucas presses the 'play' button and the opening credits for 'A Christmas Carol' grace the screen. Ellie watches the most famous Christmas film of all time very attentively. From time to time, she looks up at her mother with an appalled face, disapproving Mr. Scrooge but about an hour in the film, she is fast asleep, quietly laying between her parents. Lucas smiles down at her and decides to carry his little girl to bed.

"I'm bringing her to her room." He whispers to Peyton.

Peyton nods. When he comes back, they continue to watch the film. After a bit, Lucas starts to feel cold and rubs his arms as invisible as possible but off course, she notices.

"Come here." She holds her blanket up and invites him to join her. He smiles and moves to her, so close he can feel her breathe. He suddenly thinks back about the last time he winded up in hospital, after the accident with Keith. He had never felt more connected to Peyton than that day when he woke up and she came to see him. It was the first time he truly felt she loved him. When Peyton dove into his arms, kissing him all over his face, he forgot the world around him. There was only him and Peyton. But unfortunately, the world was still there and it planted them with both feet firmly on the ground. It hurt them, just like they would wind up hurting each other. They have something special, almost _cosmic _one would dare to say, but they screwed it up. He turns his head at Peyton, with hints of regret in his soft, blue eyes.

"What?" Peyton notices his stare and looks up at him smiling.

"I know it doesn't matter anymore now, but...Brooke **_never _**meant more to me than you did. Whatever I said back then, whatever I did, I was wrong, confused...and I just want you to know that."

Peyton turns her whole body at him, leaning on her knees. She's relieved he's finally ready to talk about the past, and also a bit touched by his words.

"I should have told you that I was pregnant, Luke..." A faint smile graces his lips but his eyes deceive pain. "And just so you know, I never meant to hurt you, but I just thought..." Peyton briefly pauses whilst looking down at her hands.

"What?" He softly asks.

She looks up and shrugs, an action contrary to what she's feeling and how she felt 4 years ago.

"I thought you didn't really care." Her eyes fill themselves with tears.

In an instinct, he cups her face and stares her intensely in the eyes, making she understands what he's saying. He needs her to know how much he loved her, how much she hurt him when she left and how much he she meant and still means to him.

"How could you ever think that? That I didn't care?" She doesn't answer but just gazes at her first love with saddened eyes. That's exactly what she thought. What else was there to think when he forget all about her and moved on to her best friend? She's surprised to see the determination burning in his eyes. "God, Peyt, you meant _everything_ to me, do you understand? When you left, I was broken...I just didn't realized how much I needed you... and **_loved_**you until you were gone."

Peyton lets her hands move to his cheeks, resting them on his warm skin. She can feel by the way his words come out, with this much emotion, that he has held this in long. Too long.

"I'm sorry, Luke..."

Glistering tears lay a glass-like shimmer on his eyes, making them even bluer.

"God, I missed you so much." He says more to himself before looking down.

Peyton softly lifts his head back up. She lets her eyes run over his face before moving closer and brushing her lips against his. At first, Lucas is a bit surprised at her actions but soon, he's the one taking initiative. Both blondes engage in the most emotions-filled kiss either of them has ever had, tears still resting in their eyes, feelings splattered all around. When they pull back, Lucas softly brush his nose against hers once or twice. In the background, the credits roll over the screen. Peyton notices and asks softly yet certain:

"Sleep with me tonight... just sleep."

Lucas first looks at her surprised but then tucks a curl behind her ear and nods.

"OK."

Peyton wraps her arms around his neck. "I missed you too…" She softly whispers in his ear, causing Lucas to press her even closer whilst squeezing her curls. Peyton closes her eyes, completely lost in his embrace. She feels like never wanting to let go again.

After a while, she does pull away and heads to her bedroom. Lucas briefly disappears in the bathroom before joining her.

"You know," Lucas says as he lifts up three sheets "I can't sleep with this many blankets."

"But I get cold fast..." She looks at him innocently.

Lucas whirls two sheets away and holds the last one up. Without saying another word, Lucas buries his face in her neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses.

Peyton smiles whilst asking:

"Luke, what are you doing?"

"Warming you." Lucas looks up with a boyish smirk before planting his lips on hers. He removes his shirt and briefly looks her in her hazel eyes before continuing his deep kisses. He feels Peyton giving in but then she requests reluctantly:

"Stop..."

"Why?" He mumbles whilst slipping his hand under her tank-pyjama top. Peyton briefly considers shutting her mouth and continuing but instead –again- reluctantly says:

"Because..." she firmly cups his head, rationally ignoring her aroused body "...You have a very delicate cut...and Nathan is right next to us, probably still up. He'll hear us."

"I'm strong..." A mischievous look appears in his eyes "...and quiet."

He bows over and even though Peyton enjoys his actions, she can't take the risk of ripping his stitches open. She very softly presses his stomach; Lucas immediately jolts and lets out a cry of pain, as soft as possible, hoping maybe she didn't hear it. He looks up Peyton who gives him an 'I-told-you-so'-look.

"It was a scream of pleasure." He tries half-jokingly. Peyton cocks her eyebrow at him. Still bowed over the slender blonde, Lucas suggest with puppy-eyes: "If we're careful?"

"No." She shakes her curls with a suppressed smile. He listens and rolls of off her whilst heaving a sigh. She can see him brooding a bit and says:

"Luke...I want to be with you, but I don't want to hurt you."

He turns his head with a noticeable disappointed look in his eyes.

"I know."

"Patience, Scott." She can't help but tease him a little. Then, she lays her head on his chest. Lucas lets his arm rest on her waist, holding her as close as possible while Peyton intertwines her hand in his. Both battle sleep...Because reality is better than dreams now.

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**A/N**: I just wanted to thank all the reviewers again, I really appreciate all the comments and also, for people who where confused concerning the last chapter, the beginning was a memory resulting in a dream.


	10. The Darkness Has Faded Away

**A/N:** I just want to apologize for the long wait. Also, I really appreciate the time you take to review (and read). You guys rock!

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**10. The Darkness Has Faded Away**

Five monts later…

Glowing with pride, Ellie sat at the head of the table, with a fake yet shiny golden crown on her head. Almost five years ago now, she was conceived, in the middle of the summer. And precisely nine months later, May 2nd, Peyton gave birth to her. They've come a long way since then, the two of them. The first three years of her short life, Ellie was raised single-handed by her mother, and then, after having lived without a father for all that time, Lucas suddenly was there, in her life.

The little girl had to adjust to this stranger at first but bit-by-bit, Ellie closed the blue-eyed man in her heart. But it wasn't as easy for him to do the same with her mother, or the other way around. Yet it got better when they were home, recovering, and for a while, it was like they were together, like normal mothers and fathers. They even wanted to go live together! But then, they started to fight about who had to move and so he went away again. Luckily, it didn't take him long to come back; Lucas' words had been:

"_Peyton, I've been thinking…It doesn't matter where I live, as long as I'm with you."_

Ellie had closed her eyes as her parents had engaged in a kiss.

"Come on, Ellie! Blow out your candles!"

That was her aunt Haley, who constantly spoiled her with little (or less little) gifts. Unfortunately, she couldn't have children herself so she and Nathan had filed for adoption and with success: In two weeks, they were going to pick up a five-year old boy in Cambodia.

Ellie took a deep breath and blew out of her candles; the adults all shouted 'awww' and smiled endeared. That, she could handle, but all the hugs and kisses she was constantly getting even got the mini-blonde agitated. Exactly that moment, Lucas' grand mother walked up to her and pinched her in the cheek.

"You're such a cutie!"

In fear of being smothered, Ellie's eyes got bigger as the elderly woman bowed over and gave her granddaughter a big hug.

"OK, grams…" Lucas laughed "…don't suffocate the kid…"

"Now make a wish, sweetie…" Peyton, standing at Ellie's right side, whispered through her daughter's curls. The little girl closed her eyes as she thought of one; after, she opened her baby blues again.

"What did you wish for?" Peyton asked.

"If I tell you," she reminded her mother "it won't come true."

"Ellie!" Sam, Karen's son shouted. "Come play with us."

Ellie looked briefly at her mother who nodded, giving permission. The kindergartner jumped off her chair and hurried to the little boy.

As the children played, the 'adults' gathered around the table, drank coffee and talked about their families, and for the first time, Peyton knew what they're were talking about, how 'family' felt.

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At about 9 pm, everyone headed home, except for Sam, Karen and Lucas' grandparents, who were staying over at their house. Nathan and Haley were spending the night at a nearby hotel.

"It's been a busy day…" Lucas sighed as he looked over the table, covered with crumbs.

"Hmmm…" Peyton agreed. "So you clear the table?"

Without waiting for an answer, she hurried out of the dining room, leaving a speechless Lucas behind. Too tired to protest, Lucas started to clean up the mess. After he had finished the job, he climbed up the stairs, heading for their bedroom, where he heard stumbling.

"Peyton…?"

He softly pushed to door to see a bunch of candles which lit up the dimmed room. Looking around in awe, he asked:

"What is this?"

"This is…Wait-" Motioning to the bed, she ordered. "Take a seat." She took a deep breath. "I - I have to ask you something."

"OK…."

She looked hesitantly, so Lucas pushed her a bit.

"Come on, Peyt…"

"I know, it's just…I want to do this right." Again, she took a deep breath. "Lucas…Those three years I didn't see you went by so slow; they felt empty."

He gazed at her, not knowing where this was going to.

"And I was just thinking…" she continued. "…I love you so much, and I never want that to happen again, lose you."

The tears were welling up in Peyton's eyes.

"Me neither…" He answered uncertain.

Joining him on the bed, she took his hands.

"Ever since we met, I felt you and me, we were special." A tear escaped her eyes, rolling over her pale skin. "And to this day, I don't think there are any two people who have what we have."

"Don't cry…" He wiped her tears gently with his thumb. "I love you, I'm not going anywhere."

She shook her head.

"Peyt…" he tucked a curl behind her ear "What's wrong? Are you sick?"

But every time she opened her mouth to speak, it was cut off by a sob. Enough, she told herself, get yourself together.

"No, I'm not sick but I do understand why a girl doesn't normally do this now..." She answered him whilst wiping her tears away. "Luke…" she looked him deeply in his confused sky-blues. "Throughout the years, you've been my friend, my family, my lover…and now there's only one thing left. Will you marry me?"

His confused look changed into a baffled one. Had she just proposed to him?

"Luke?" Peyton stared at the speechless man next to her. He stood up and walked over to their wardrobe, going through the content.

"What are you doing?" He didn't answer, which irritated an already vulnerable Peyton. " Look, if you don't want too, just say no," she said "but you don't have to ignore me."

As Lucas had found what he was looking for, he walked back to the curly blonde sitting on the bed, her face away from him.

"Peyt…"

She didn't so he ordered:

"Look at me."

Peyton immediately melted as she saw him kneeling down before her, a velvet red box between his fingers.

"The things you just said to me…they were wonderful but let's forget _you _proposed to _me_ for a second."

"Luke…" Oh, not again, Peyton thought as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Peyton" he started "You…understand me, who I am, what I'm about…you made me realize it's ok to just be …me." He smiled at her touched hazels "I love your strength, your innocence, your wisdom, your laughter…and you're still the most beautiful woman I've ever met. And now…I want to spend the rest of my life with you. He opened the red box; a beautiful diamond ring appeared "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer… "Will you marry me?"

Between her sobs, she nodded.

"Yes."

Lucas rose from the floor and pulled her in an emotion-filled kiss. After all the adversity, after all the problems, they were her now, engaged and 100 percent happy. It felt so unreal, yet so right. He laid Peyton flat on the bed; completely taking the leading role. Although he'd never admit, his male ego was slightly bruised because of before, when she had proposed to him. His vision may be a bit old fashioned, but Lucas had always thought the man should be the one doing the proposing and not the other way around.

The kisses and touches between them got more heated as they eagerly removed each other's clothes. That night, the two blondes would conceive another child and precisely nine months later, another blue eyed baby, a son, was born; with his father beside him.

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- About bellasmomma's comment: I corrected it, for some unknown reason I'm really bad at familial relationships lol. I always get those things wrong.

- I hesitated for a while about the possibility of bringing Jake into the picture, but in the long run, I'd just bring LP back together and I figured it would be too repetitive.

So, anyways, I hoped you enjoyed it and check out my otehr fanfic too!


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